Brussels, 21/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Italian solar support regime, which was modified in a law passed in March, is under fire from the Commission.
By virtue of a law adopted in March, which comes in the framework of the Community directive 2009 on the promotion of renewable energy, the solar support regime in Italy is based on generous incentives, which will apply only to sun-fired power stations which are connected to the national grid by the end of May. The sudden change in the regime spread panic among investors and operators on one of the most promising markets in the whole of Europe. In a letter to Italian Minister for Economic Development Paolo Romani, Günther Oettinger, who has received complaints from operators, expresses his concern at the impact of this change on investment in the sector. “It is fundamental that the Italian government creates as soon as possible a clear, stable and predictable internal framework for incentives to guarantee the development of renewable energy. The changes which alter financial returns on existing projects risk violating general principles of national and EU rights and, moreover, compromising the stability of the investment in the sector”, the energy commissioner explained. According to his spokesperson, Marlene Holzner, the European executive may open infringement proceedings against the countries which do not guarantee investors the certainty they need. For its part, the main Italian renewable energy association, APER, has warned that it would go to Brussels to appeal against a law which could, it argues, damage investment which could be worth several billion euros. Rome, which is preparing a new support regime to replace the one due to expire at the end of May, will present its new incentive system at the end of April. By virtue of this new regime, Italy is planning to impose a six-monthly or annual ceiling on the costs of the incentives to solar energy, rather than on the installed capacity, and remove the incentives as of 2017. Operators and investors in the solar sector are concerned that Rome will bring in an annual limit on photovoltaic capacity installed, saying such a move would brake growth of the sector in Italy, as has happened in Spain. (E.H./transl.fl)